vajrabhairava (buddhist deity) - solitary (ekavira) (himalayan art)

8/12/2019 Vajrabhairava (Buddhist Deity) - Solitary (Ekavira) (Himalayan Art)

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Vajrabhairava (Buddhist Deity) - Solitary(Ekavira)(item no. 198)

Tibet

1700 - 1799

Sakya Lineage62.23x40.64cm (24.50x16in)

Ground Mineral Pigment, Black Background onCotton

Collection of Rubin Museum of Art

(acc.# P1995.21.8)

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Vajrabhairava Ekavira (Tibetan: dor je jig je, pa wo chig pa. English:The Solitary Hero Vajra Terror) a wrathful form of Manjushri.

The ferocious Vajrabhairava is black in colour with 9 faces, 34 hands an16 legs. The main face is that of a buffalo, with a red face above andthe slightly angry yellow face of Manjushri placed on top. Flamesentwine the two horns and shoot fire from the tips. Thethree rightfaces, stacked one above the other, are blue, red and yellow and the

three left are white, smoky coloured and black. Each face has threelarge round eyes, bared fangs and eachconveys a different emotionalexpression; yellow hair flows upward like rising flames.The first pair ofhands hold a curved knife and skullcup at the heart. The remaininghands hold a multitude of weapons with the last set also holding thefresh outstretched hide of an elephant.Each face is adorned with acrown of five skulls and bone earrings. He wears a snake necklace and garland of fifty heads. The right legs are bent pressing down on avariety of creatures and gods. The left legs are extended straight andpress upon eight birds and various gods. Above a sun disc and multi-coloured lotus blossom he stands in the middle of a mass of orange

flames of pristine awareness. Placed at the front of the lotus is askullcup containing a red triangular offering torma (stylized food) andslightly below to each side are two additional skullcups filled withvarious offerings.

At the top center is Vajradhara, the primordial buddha, dark blue incolour, with one face and two hands holding a vajra and bell to theheart. At the left corner is Kunga Lhundrub wearing monastic robes anda red cap performing the mudra (gesture) of blessing with the right han

and holding a Dharma wheel in the lap. At the right corner is KungaPalzang wearing monastic robes and a red pandita hat performing the
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object in the left. The names of the two lamas are written in very smalfine gold lettering beneath each.

At the bottom center is the special protector for the Vajrabhairava cycleof practice, Yama Dharmaraja, black, with one face and two handsholding a stick and noose, embraced by the consort Chamundi andmounted atop a buffalo; surrounded by flames. To the left is theguardian of the northern direction, yellow Vaishravana, holding a banne

and mongoose riding atop a snow lion. To the right is PanjarnataMahakala, protector for the Hevajra Tantras, black, with one face andtwo hands holding a curved knife and skullcup with a stick across theforearms; surrounded by flames of pristine awareness issuing forthanimal and bird messengers amongst the licks of flame.

As a tutelary deity Vajrabhairava, also sometimes referred to asYamantaka, belongs to the Bhairava and Yamari class of tantras andspecifically arises from the Vajrabhairava Root Tantra (Tibetan: jig jetsa gyu). All of those belong to the method (father) classification ofAnuttaryoga Tantra. The practice of Bhairava is common to the three

Sarma (new) Schools: Sakya, Kagyu and Gelugpa. Among the Sakya it icounted as one of the four main tantric deities along with Hevajra,Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara (Tibetan: gyu de shi). Amongst thevarious Kagyu Schools the Drigungpa have been strong upholders of thepractice. There are numerous forms and styles of practice from the verycomplex with numerous deities to the very concise with a single Herukaform. From the many lineages to enter Tibet the main ones were thoseof Jowo Atisha, Rwa Lotsawa and Mal Lotsawa.

Mal Lineage: the lord of Refuge Vajradhara, Arya Manjushri, AcharyaBuddha Jnana, Dipamkara Zangpo, Brahmin Shridhara, the pandita andmahasiddha Naropa, Minyam Dorje Khol, the Nepali of Yerang Bharo

Chagdum, Mal Lotsawa Lodro Dragpa, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), etc.

The style of painting is black scroll (Tib.: nag thang) - gold outline on ablack background with various colours used for detailing the figures.This style is reserved for wrathful figures.

Jeff Watt 7-98

View other items in:PublicationPublication: Oriental Art, Vol XLVI No. 2

Thematic SetCollection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery VI

Tradition: Sakya Deity PaintingsPainting Type: Black GroundBuddhist Deity: Vajrabhairava Main Page
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Copyright 2013 Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation.Photographed Image Copyright 2004 Rubin Museum of Art
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vajrabhairava (buddhist deity) - solitary (ekavira) (himalayan art)

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